Flashlight fountain pen



April l, 1941. H GUDGE 2,236,683

FLASHLIGHT FOUNTAIN PEN Filed June 22, 1938 BY Herbe/f 325252 ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 1, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE FLASHLIGHT FOUNTAIN PEN Herbert Gudge, New York, N. Application June 22, 1938, Serial No. 215,120

(Cl. 24o-6.46)

2 Claims.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a relatively small light in a fountain pen, in which the pen casing is so constructed that it may readily be opened providing access to the pen sack and also to the battery.

The invention is a fountain pen having a split casing hinged along one side so that it may be opened, and in which the casing is provided with a small battery and also an ink reservoir or sack, with means feeding ink to the nib of a pen, and also with means mounting a relatively small -ashlight in an enclosed tip of the `casing adjacent the nib.

Fountain pens have been provided with ashlights, however, these have been made comparatively cumbersome, with the lights and batteries on the sides, or with one placed above the other, and, with any construction up to the present time, the interior of the device is comparatively inaccessible.

The object of the invention is, therefore, to provide a fountain pen of the type having a light adjacent the nib, in which the casing may readily be opened so that the interior parts are readily accessible.

Another object is to provide a fountain pen having a light adjacent the nib, in which a battery for the light and also the ink sack are posi-.

tioned in the casing with one on one side and the other on the other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fountain pen with a relatively small window through which one may determine when the pen is empty.

A further object is to provide a fountain pen having a light adjacent the nib, in which the light is embodied within the pen casing.

And a still further object is to provide an improved fountain pen having a light in combination which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these endsl in View the invention embodies a fountain pen having a light adjacent the nib, in which the pen casing is hinged longitudinally, with the ink sack in one side, a battery in the other, and in which the end of the casing is made transparent, with the nib mounted in the transparent end, and also with a re1- atively small light in said transparent end.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view showing a side elevation of the device with parts broken away.

Figure 2 is a cross section through the casing of the pen, showing the relative positions of the parts and showing an alternate construction in which the casing or body of the pen isI formed of two halves hinged together.

Figure 3 is a similar section on line 3 3 of Figure 1 with the cap omitted.

In the drawing the device is shown as it may be made, wherein numeral I indicates the pen casing, numeral 2, the cap, and numeral 3, a

light. i

The casing I is substantially the same size asI a fountain penv of the usual type, or a trifle larger, and this is formed in two halves 4 and 5 hinged together at the point 6, and held together by a snap l. The snap is provided with a button 8, and it will be noted that, as the button is pressed inward, it will release the snap and make it possible to open the casing.

The ink sack 9 in the design shown in Figure 2 is mounted in the part II of the casing, and this is connected to an opening I0 that extends through a transparent member II at the end of the casing and iu which the nib I2 is mounted, and the pen may be relled by a button I3 at the opposite end, similar to pens now in use. It will be understood that any suitable mechanism may be used inside of the pen body to compress and inflate the ink sack. In the opposite half of the casing isI a battery I4, and spring fingers I5 and I6 are slidably mounted on the battery through a ring I'I, and the ring is provided with a strip I8 that extends backward and through an opening I9 in the casing, with the end of the strip bent over to form a clip 2U similar to any clip for holding a pen or pencil. The spring members I5 and I6 extend beyond the end of the battery, and the base 2I of the light 3 is provided with a ridge 22 that is adapted to snap between the spring fingers I5 and I6 to hold the light in place. Although only two of the spring fingers are shown, it is understood that any number may be used, and it will-be noted that, as the light With the mounting thereof is drawn backward by the clip 20, a contact 23 of the light base will engage the end 24 of the battery and light the light. The light may, therefore, be lighted or extinguished as may be desired.

'Ihe case I is provided with threads 25 upon which the cap 2 may be threaded as shown, however, it will be understood that a cap of any type or design may be used, and this may be placed on the pen casing in any manner.

In the design shown in Figure 1, the pen casing is provided with a small, transparent bead 26 forming a window through which one may see the inner end of the ink reservoir, or the connection 2l thereof to the ink sack, so that one may readily determine when the pen is empty.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, One of which changes may be in the use of other means for providing a transparent section for enclosing the light bulb, another, may be in the use of any other means for mounting the bulb at the end of the battery, another may be in the use of any other means for closing a switch to light the bulb, and still another time, the casing may readily be opened to replace the battery or change any of the parts, and the pen maybe filled with ink in the usual manner without opening the casing.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters 4 Patent, is:

may be in the use of other means for lling the ink sack.

The construction will be readily understood..

from the foregoing description. In use the device, which is comparatively the same' size as a fountain pen, may be used as a fountain penl 1. A fountain pen having a barrel and a cap, with a transparent point holding section at one end of the barrel and adapted to be covered by the cap when the pen is closed, an ink sack extending substantially throughout the length of .the barrel with means feeding ink therefrom to the pen point, a light bulb positioned in the said .transparent section at the base of the said pen point, ,and a battery also extending substantially 'throughout the length of the barrel and positioned beside the said ink sack.

2. A fountain pen as described in claim 1, characterized by a transparent bead forming an inspection opening in the feeding means for determining when the ink supply is exhausted.

HERBERT GUDGE. 

